Public invited to learn more about molecular and clinical risk factors

January 11, 2016

UC Irvine Health invites the public to learn more about the latest research into risk factors that may trigger neurological dysfunction and changes in the aging brain related to Alzheimer’s disease.

Frank LaFerla, PhD, Hana and Francisco J. Ayala School Dean of Biological Sciences and director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Center, will share his expert insights at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 25 at the Newport Beach Central Library. The discussion is part of the library’s lecture series “Medicine in our backyard: the leading edge.”

The Alzheimer’s Disease Center at UC Irvine is one of only 27 in the U.S. and the only one in Orange County to have received designation from the National Institute on Aging. More than 100 investigators are involved in Alzheimer’s disease research and care through clinical evaluation, neuropathology, community outreach and education, and data management and statistics.

LaFerla’s research focuses on understanding the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. His scholarly work has had a global influence on the field, as some of the models he has generated have been distributed to 150+ researchers in more than 20 countries around the world. He has published over 200 original peer-reviewed articles and was ranked in the top 1 percent of cited researchers in his field.

Audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions following the presentation.

UC Irvine Health comprises the clinical, medical education and research enterprises of the University of California, Irvine. Patients can access UC Irvine Health at physician offices throughout Orange County and at its main campus, UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange, Calif., a 411-bed acute care hospital that provides tertiary and quaternary care, ambulatory and specialty medical clinics, behavioral health and rehabilitation. U.S. News & World Report has listed it among America’s Best Hospitals for 15 consecutive years. UC Irvine Medical Center features Orange County’s only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program, Level I trauma center and Level II pediatric trauma center, and is the primary teaching hospital for UC Irvine School of Medicine. UC Irvine Health serves a region of more than 3 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the University of California, Irvine: Currently celebrating its 50th anniversary, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 30,000 students and offers 192 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $4.8 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UCI, visit www.uci.edu.